A French Christmas
by Emperor Bass exe
Summary: A re-post of this older work with miniscule revision. Marie Louise is alone for Christmas, will she get what she truely desires?


A French Christmas

Princess Marie Louise sighed as she gazed out at the morning light that illuminated Paris. Since she was the princess of France, she had been treated to this sight on numerous occasions. But today's view was different, it was the morning of Christmas day, and that fact alone seemed to enhance the sunrise's beauty. But, despite the view, the young royal was still depressed. Yes, she was rich and should be considered happy, and yes, she had received everything a girl of the age of twenty-two could ever hope to want. Yet, Marie Louise wasn't happy, her father had, as usual, given her a pony for Christmas. This would have been a kind gesture, had Marie Louise not received a horse on every Christmas since she was eight. But she accepted the gift with a smile, although on the inside she was retching.

The year was 4263 A.D., The countries of the world had sent giant space stations, called colonies into orbit around the solar system, the purpose of the colonies was to compensate the problem of global overpopulation, to ensure human expansion when there was no more room left on Earth. Another reason was the fact that pollution and global warming had melted a medium sized amount of the polar icecaps, which earned an extremely aggressive economic and militaristic response from the Antarcticans, and had ruined some of the air. The colonies ensured that human expansion was still possible, even though none of the other planets in the solar system could be 'Terraformed' anytime soon.

Along with the colonies came another problem, a cause for a unified human race. After the near apocalyptic events of World War III, all of the world leaders agreed on the design the Gundam Fight, a tournament where each nation designed a giant robotic suit called a Gundam, and a chosen representative of each nation would pilot the suit. The Gundam fight was basically a tournament that would take place on Earth, and would last a year, until the final battle in which all fighters who had not been disqualified would fight at the capital city of the nation that won at the last fight. The fight was held every four years, and all possible precautions for the fighters, and the spectators, were taken. The Prize? The country whose fighter won the tournament, i.e. was the last fighter standing, would earn the right to rule all of the solar system, basically all countries and colonies, for four years until the next fight, five if you counted the year in which the next Gundam Fight was held.

Marie Louise smiled slightly as it began to snow over Paris; it magnified the beauty of the view by tenfold. She frowned, however, because she had never really received what she truly wanted for Christmas, love. Her father was always busy with royal matters, or some sort of business that prevented him from ever spending time with her. Her mother died when Marie Louise was a small girl, and she had no siblings, only servants, who were more like robots in terms of their personality. The one person she had ever felt comfortable with was the Gundam Pilot of Neo France, George De Sand.

The petite princess blushed as Neo France's champion came to mind, she nervously ran a gloved hand though her long, wavy, blonde hair. She shut her light green eyes, waiting patiently until the pink tinge to her face faded away. She opened her eyes slowly, but blinked in surprise when she noticed a circular shadow looming over her.

"Miss Marie Louise, you shouldn't be outside in this weather."

Gasping, Marie Louise swung around. Her eyes widened, startled, and the blush came back to her with a vengeance. "G-George!" she managed.

George De Sand stood no more than a yard away, his violet eyes boring into hers. His long fiery, orange, hair wavered slightly in the breeze. George was wearing his usual suit, white with light blue bordering, and his classical light blue, almost transparent, scarf. He held an umbrella above the Princess' head; this left George vulnerable to the snow, however. George, The Rose Knight of Neo France, blinked, his face taking on a look of concern, "I apologize Princess, I shouldn't have disturbed you." He said, mistaking her blush for some other emotion. The Gundam fighter turned to leave, but Marie Louise stopped him, laying a petite hand upon his slender, but firmly muscled arm.

"N-no George, it isn't that, I just was surprised that you were here." George bowed, taking the Princess' hand as if it were crafted from glass, and gently kissed it by way of formality. Marie Louise's blushed tripled in magnitude.

The knight straightened, "I was just here Miss Marie Louise, to wish you a Happy Christmas, and to keep you company on this fine morning, if I may be so bold."

Marie Louise nodded frantically, "Yes, George that would be quite alright." George smiled, and strode over beside the Princess at a respectable distance, but not so far away that the umbrella couldn't reach over Marie Louise's head.

They both stood there for a few awkward seconds, until the Princess decided to break the silence with conversation. "So I see that they have finally begun reconstructing the Eiffel Tower." She said with a slight gesture to the half melted structure in the distance.

George gave a grim smile in confirmation, "Yes, it seems the large sums I've been donating to repair the damage done to it during my battle with Domon Kasshu has finally been used to restore France's Tower to its former beauty." Marie Louise looked away, embarrassed. It had been partially her fault that the tower had fallen, although it had already been gravely damaged in ages past, but the gundam fight between George and Domon had invoked enough destruction upon it to cause it to collapse. At the time Marie Louise had been trapped in the area near the tower, she would've been killed had George not intervened to catch the mass of metal with his gundam.

George, of course, remembered the incident and changed the subject in respect for the Princess' feelings. "I also see that the statue of Monsieur Napoleon in Maiden Park has been restored to its former glory, and appropriate height." He said with a slight smile.

Marie Louise giggled slightly at the comment, gently touching her fingertips to her lips to stifle the musical sound. "Yes it's nice to understand that the stone decoration that has brightened that area is going to be proportionately accurate." They both knew that when Napoleon ordered the construction of the statue millennia before, he demanded that it be made taller than what was appropriate. This was probably done to boost Napoleon's ego over his short stature.

George nodded, "Thankfully our fair capital has once again been polished to the crown gem of our country, and why shouldn't it shine for the richest country currently in space." The Rose Knight frowned slightly, "Especially after the economic problems in Neo England started." The mention of the nation caused a shiver to run down Marie Louise's spine, although it wasn't the reference of England itself that caused this reaction, it was a memory. A year and a half ago, during the 13th Gundam Fight Tournament, France's Princess witnessed the murder of one of Neo England's government officials, Sir William. The man had his neck snapped by Neo England's Gundam Fighter, Gentile Chapman. Marie Louise had tried to flee unnoticed, but Chapman had caught her in a death grip, like any sane person of high social class would do, she screamed. Luckily George had been in the same area, the Rose Knight fought Chapman off, with the help of Domon Kasshu of Neo Japan.

Sensing the Princess' discomfort, George once again changed the subject of their conversation, "Apparently, from what I've heard, Domon's going to be married."

Marie Louise started at the news, "Really? To whom may I ask? That Mikamura Woman?"

George chuckled, "No, their relationship is too close to that of siblings to be appropriate. Do you remember that eccentric woman from the tournament that Domon would associate with? The fighter from Neo Sweden?"

The Princess' eyes widened slightly, "You mean Mademoiselle Allenby?!? Her?"

At George's confirmatory nod, she mused it over, "Well, I shouldn't be too surprised, they were rather enamoured with one another." She paused, "…When will the ceremony be held?"

"We will be receiving the invitations within the week, the location of the wedding should be on them." George replied with a slight smile. But after a few seconds his smile dropped and the subject once again changed.

"Princess, something has been gnawing at my conscience since the end of the last Tournament." He whispered, placing his left hand upon the pommel of his fencing saber sheathed at his hip. This was a nonthreatening gesture that George picked up on as a habit when he was anxious. Marie Louise blinked slightly in surprise; she had very rarely seen George nervous.

"Yes George, what is it?" Her face showing concern for her crush.

George locked eyes with her, "Miss Marie Louise do you remember the promise I swore to you, the oath that I would win the Gundam Tournament for your honor?"

Said Princess blushed furiously, nodding, "Yes" she timidly squeaked.

George cleared his throat, "Since I failed to achieve that vow, Monsieur Domon earned the title of champion; Japan now currently rules the solar system. Princess, I wish to rekindle that pledge, if you may grant it."

France's princess inclined her head, "Yes George, I accept."

Without another word, George unsheathed his saber and handed it to her hilt first. Marie Louise gripped the weapon in her delicate, slender fingers while George knelt before her, placing the umbrella on the ground beside him, his head bowed.

"George De Sand, do you take upon your shoulders to bring honor to your nation and to show the entire world France's beauty?"

George's eyes slowly closed before replying, "I shall, Princess, I shan't fail this time."

In response she brought the flat of the blade tapping gently upon his right shoulder and then slowly lifted it over his head to tap it on his left. Marie Louise lowered the blade, a slight blush on her slender cheeks, and whispered "Then rise up George De Sand."

The Red Rose Knight stood, collapsing the umbrella since it had stopped snowing, gently took his sword from the Princess' fingers and sheathed it. "Oh! I almost forgot…" George reached into a pocket of his suit and removed a small, yet long narrow velvet box. "It's not much, but I presumed that you had received large quantities of gifts from your father and….suitors." He said the last word in an odd voice.

"It's fine George any gift from you outweighs all the others by far." Marie Louise immediately regretted saying this, 'Oh no! I didn't mean to say that!' she thought, terrified. George however said nothing, the barest hint of red tingeing his extremely pale composition, and handed the parcel to her. The Princess' eyes widened upon opening the gift. Inside was a rose. An average crimson rose.

But it was by far was the most beautiful gift she had ever received.

It wasn't flashy, or rare, or anything to illustrate her social status. It was just something that represented affection. George stared at her, a nervous look easily apparent on his face. "I- I thought it might make a nice change to the avalanche of presents you usually receive each year, I thought that it might mean a bit more to you. Considering that you can get just about everything, I imagined that it might brighten up your Christmas a bit." Tears of joy began to form in her eyes; Marie Louise was stunned, well not that stunned, considering that George seemed to understand most of her emotions and feelings. Of course the knight hadn't a clue about the emotions that Marie Louise held for him. The tears started to fall from the Princess' eyes and slide slowly down her face. George stared in horror at his actions, "Miss Marie Louise, I- I'm so sorry, I- !"

His apology was cut off as France's Princess hugged him with all of the surprising strength that her petite frame could muster. "Thank you George!" She sobbed into his chest, "Thank you so much!" The Red Rose Knight stood there, immobilized, his mind screaming for him to do something, he eventually returned the embrace, his blush increasing.

After a few seconds, Marie Louise gently pulled back, wiping the tears from her eyes with an index finger. "I have something for you too George."

France's Champion looked at her quizzically "What is it Miss Marie Louise?"

She smiled sweetly, "This…" The Princess slowly leaned forward, George transfixed by her green eyes, and kissed the Gundam Fighter on the lips. Startled and somewhat caught off guard, George; with his eyes widening, _almost_ pulled away. George's powerful will kicked in at the last second and he stood his ground like any good knight should. He shut his eyes as he returned the kiss with a passion, his own hidden emotions starting to surface. After nearly a full minute Marie Louise ended the kiss, gasping for breath slightly, and stepped back. "Thank you George, this has been the greatest Christmas in my entire life." She smiled; turned around and rushed back into the Mansion, her face flushed red.

George stood there watching her walk away, a smile slowly formed on his face, "You and I both Princess Marie Louise."


End file.
